On another note, Carlsbad PD only started investigating this as an actual assault against the cyclist once people starting bombarding them via social media. And this whole thing only got coverage anyways because it was a radio DJ who was hit. If if were anybody else it wouldn't be news except maybe on here and in cycling websites.

On Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 3:31:15 PM UTC-8, xxxx wrote:Dear Bicycling Friends in San Diego:

Be careful bicycling the Rose Canyon area, especially at night. Three times in the past two months I've come across creative rearrangement of the cones and barricades along the bypass, seemingly meant to cause consternation and crashes. Whoever is doing this is getting more artful. The first version was just cones tossed on their sides. The second version feature cones and controls moved to the middle of the path before the ridges, almost designed to force the unwary off the road and down into the creek. The latest version, just this morning, featured barricades on their sides, ready to trap and crash unwary riders, especially at night (I've a REAL early shift this week).

The construction and traffic control people have been at pains to correct this vandalism (for lack of a better word) of temporary traffic controls, but they're not on hand at 5 or 6 AM. I wish whoever is doing it would switch to changing the lights to warn "Godzilla attack ahead" instead of setting bike traps that can seriously injure people.

While Copenhagen continues to be a worldwide leader in cycling—the number of bikes in the Danish capital recently surpassed cars in fact—London is busy playing catch up.

Earlier this week, newly-elected London mayor Sadiq Khan announced that a record £154 million (roughly $194 million) per year will go toward cycling improvements over the next five years. This investment will take up 5.5 percent of the Transport for London (TfL) budget, more than double the 2.4 percent spent during former mayor Boris Johnson’s last term. All divvied up, that would mean about $22 per person per year, which is comparable to what’s being spent in leading cycling countries like Denmark and the Netherlands.

According to the statement, the city hopes to get 1.5 million bike trips per day by 2026 and the plan is to get there with more bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, increased sidewalk space, not to mention two new “Cycle Superhighways.” These structures will help commuters cover long distances on bikes.

This isn’t the only sustainability-minded news coming out of the English capital lately. Last week, Khan also announced that, effective immediately, all single-decker buses will be emissions-free, powered by hydrogen fuel cells instead of gas.

I was really intrigued by this one when I saw it in the back of a recent Ikea catalogue. I think it looks reasonably equipped for the price, although a 2 speeds might be a little poor for getting around San Diego's partcular environment (who wants to carry their Ikea goods back up into North Park from the Ikea in Mission Valley on that thing?) A belt drive and front disk for $400 is not nothing, if the frame quality is decent. It might take off in flatter territories.

I am more interested to see their accessories. They have and attractive looking little trailer and set of racks that might be worth something, if sturdy.

I think the frame must be made of particle board, and I imagine it comes packed flat in a cardboard box. On the plus side, assembly can be done with a single 4 mm hex wrench and a Phillips screwdriver.

On the one hand, I have sympathy for people who basically lost the lottery--nearly every motor vehicle driver out there violates the law in one way or another, and these poor bastards are the unlucky ones who got caught. From their point of view, they were just going about their lives doing what everybody does, and then they fell down a rabbit hole...

On the other hand, as a cyclist I think every driver bears an absolute responsibility to drive responsibly. The fact that most people get away with driving irresponsibly (and many get away with what amounts to murder) doesn't take away the issue of personal responsibility. If you were guilty and you got caught, suffer the consequences.

On the one hand, I have sympathy for people who basically lost the lottery--nearly every motor vehicle driver out there violates the law in one way or another, and these poor bastards are the unlucky ones who got caught. From their point of view, they were just going about their lives doing what everybody does, and then they fell down a rabbit hole...

On the other hand, as a cyclist I think every driver bears an absolute responsibility to drive responsibly. The fact that most people get away with driving irresponsibly (and many get away with what amounts to murder) doesn't take away the issue of personal responsibility. If you were guilty and you got caught, suffer the consequences.

What do you think?

First of all, I wouldn't consider anybody being able to own and drive a car "poor". For the ticket itself, I have empathy for people making mistakes but you don't pick up your phone and talk to mom by accident. This is BS. He needs to get his priorities straight and start taking responsibility for his actions.

On the one hand, I have sympathy for people who basically lost the lottery--nearly every motor vehicle driver out there violates the law in one way or another, and these poor bastards are the unlucky ones who got caught. From their point of view, they were just going about their lives doing what everybody does, and then they fell down a rabbit hole...

On the other hand, as a cyclist I think every driver bears an absolute responsibility to drive responsibly. The fact that most people get away with driving irresponsibly (and many get away with what amounts to murder) doesn't take away the issue of personal responsibility. If you were guilty and you got caught, suffer the consequences.

What do you think?

First of all, I wouldn't consider anybody being able to own and drive a car "poor". For the ticket itself, I have empathy for people making mistakes but you don't pick up your phone and talk to mom by accident. This is BS. He needs to get his priorities straight and start taking responsibility for his actions.

I am with you here. For some reason I was able to drive on three continents for over 30 years without ever getting a ticket. It is not that hard.

I do agree, however, that the tacking on of fees and punishments is not cool. Almost like airline tickets.

If the ticket says $100, that's what you should have to pay to settle it. And some of the other ways to stack the charges, like towing and impounding, can sometimes seem rather random and unfair.

On the one hand, I have sympathy for people who basically lost the lottery--nearly every motor vehicle driver out there violates the law in one way or another, and these poor bastards are the unlucky ones who got caught. From their point of view, they were just going about their lives doing what everybody does, and then they fell down a rabbit hole...

On the other hand, as a cyclist I think every driver bears an absolute responsibility to drive responsibly. The fact that most people get away with driving irresponsibly (and many get away with what amounts to murder) doesn't take away the issue of personal responsibility. If you were guilty and you got caught, suffer the consequences.

What do you think?

I think being reasonable about payment methods, reductions, and avoidance of tacked-on fees and hidden costs is important, but on a basic level I think we need more tickets given out, not fewer. It is hard to define, but I feel strongly that more traffic enforcement is required in San Diego to increase safety on the streets.

On a related note; one of the anti-death penalty arguments is that the death penalty does not dissuade criminals. There is quite a bit of research that indicates that the likelihood of getting caught dissuades people more than the severity of the punishment. Let's give out more tickets with lower fines! Easier for poor people to pay; just as much inconvenience for wealthy people (which is honestly more of the punishment for anyone driving a nice expensive car).

On the one hand, I have sympathy for people who basically lost the lottery--nearly every motor vehicle driver out there violates the law in one way or another, and these poor bastards are the unlucky ones who got caught. From their point of view, they were just going about their lives doing what everybody does, and then they fell down a rabbit hole...

On the other hand, as a cyclist I think every driver bears an absolute responsibility to drive responsibly. The fact that most people get away with driving irresponsibly (and many get away with what amounts to murder) doesn't take away the issue of personal responsibility. If you were guilty and you got caught, suffer the consequences.

What do you think?

First of all, I wouldn't consider anybody being able to own and drive a car "poor". For the ticket itself, I have empathy for people making mistakes but you don't pick up your phone and talk to mom by accident. This is BS. He needs to get his priorities straight and start taking responsibility for his actions.

Perhaps not in the third world sense but most of the working poor in San Diego own cars and I can assure you that they are indeed poor. Look around the areas leading to Fiesta Island and you will see people living in their vehicles and using storage facilities while they try to regain their feet.

I wonder how many of you listened to the story. Local governments have long used punitive fees to fill their coffers and it has nothing to do any kind of enforcement priorities. This wasn't a cyclist v vehicle story, John - it is an exposition of a shady practice municipalities use against the relatively defenseless.

Concerned residents from La Jolla, Mission Beach and Pacific Beach gathered at La Jolla Community Center Jan. 30 to unanimously speak out against DecoBike, the City’s bike share program. DecoBike kiosks have not been installed in 92037, but the plan is to place 12-14 stands throughout La Jolla, Bird Rock and La Jolla Shores. The installation date is pending.

Letters to the Editor from the Feb. 2, 2017 issue of La Jolla Light as La Jollans speak out on local issues:

The changes in town are disturbing ...

Fellow La Jollans, after reading the Jan. 19, 2017 issue of La Jolla Light, I was shocked and alarmed to learn that our fair town is under siege by land, air and sea. No other community of San Diego faces such a combination of horrors: the threat of DecoBikes prowling our palm tree-lined lanes; seals and sea lions commandeering our best beaches and bringing hordes of tourists that flood our shops and restaurants; flotillas of commercial airplanes buzzing our homes. "...what would Dr. Seuss tell us to do?"

I can't tell if this is hyperbole, sarcasm, humor or if this guy is really serious. Nuts, or way too subtle?

The location of the brewery also sits on the southern loop of the Bayshore Bikeway, an ongoing SANDAG project to construct 24 miles of dedicated bike paths circumnavigating the bay, and connecting via ferry between Coronado and downtown. (MAP)

While Coronado brewing sets a target date for the restaurant and brewery to open as spring or summer of 2018, it will activate the place as a retail location in time for summer 2017. "We plan on having a mobile beer trailer with 18-20 taps, food trucks, and plenty of outdoor seating," says Chapman.

"I'm way into cycling and way into beer," says Rawley Macias, brewer and sole proprietor of Rouleur Brewing Company, the latest craft beer maker to open in Carlsbad's budding scene. While the branding of Macias's startup reflects his cycling interest, it also suggests his broader approach to making beer.

"That's a type of cycling, a Rouleur," he says, "It's a French word for an all-arounder, a rider who's good at all aspects of cycling," ranging from short sprints to long-distance races. "I like to do a lot of hybrid beers," Macias explains, "I don't stick to one style."

Making Uptown more friendly for bicyclists and pedestrians is a challenging goal drawing nearer to fruition as the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) heads into final design on the proposed Pershing Bikeway project, with construction expected to begin in late 2018.

The Pershing Bikeway will provide an enhanced 2.6-mile bikeway along Pershing Drive, with dedicated bikeway and pedestrian facilities in North Park, Golden Hill, Downtown and Balboa Park.

The project will include buffered bike lanes, a two-way separated bikeway and an adjacent walking path. The project also features traffic-calming measures to make the roadway safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

“The project just doesn’t have any environmental consequences that rise to the level of being considered impactful,” said Chris Carterette, SANDAG project manager specializing in active transportation. “It doesn’t cause any environmental effects to sensitive habitats or archaeological resources, or make any changes that require some kind of mitigation.”

On March 30, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the North County Transit District (NCTD) rolled out a new app called Compass Cloud, which can be used with both transit systems. Compass Cloud is free to download on any smartphone and allows riders to purchase tickets much easier.

SDMTS Compass CloudCompass Cloud allows you to purchase one and 30-day passes right from your smartphone and use them immediately.

I'm intrigued by the heightened interest in the starry sky. My celestial posts are for fun and to highlight the joy of being outside, on a bicycle and enjoying the wonders of our natural world. (Outside with coffee is good too!)

Sometimes the stars and planets align in beautiful ways. Other times they can seem ordinary and mundane. Not much has been happening lately and we're soon to begin the seasonal low clouds of May grey and June gloom.

Venus has transitioned to the early dawn in the east (now the "morning star"). Mars is very faint as is Saturn. With a nod to Sigurd, the Moon just passed a very bright Jupiter on Monday and Tuesday, thus the "twirling about" you noticed.

I'll post again when the stars align with something more eye catching.

In the meantime, there is more down to earth news that I've gleaned from local media (see below). I've got a feeling that 2017 will be a very productive year for continued planning and implementation of bicycle infrastructure. Many projects first conceptualized five years ago are coming to fruition with more on the way. Even with headwinds and steep grades, continually spinning toward the goals is raison d'être. The journey is the destination!

Although it was not on the agenda and there was no public notice, an in-depth presentation on the Phase 2 of the Torrey Pines Road Corridor Project — set to begin this fall and be completed by Memorial Day 2018 — was given at the April 6 La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) meeting at the Rec Center.

Bliss explained that the Corridor Project will create continuity of the sidewalk and buffered bike lanes on both sides of Torrey Pines Road between Prospect Place and La Jolla Shores Drive, among other safety-oriented additions.

“Phase 2 is going to put a sidewalk in on the south side of Torrey Pines Road between Amalfi and Hillside and … we are going to put in a HAWK signal, which is a pedestrian-activated crosswalk, about 100 feet west of Princess Street,” he said.

Bike lane and traffic slowingTo create continuity and a safer bicycling path, he said a buffered bike lane would be installed on both sides of the thoroughfare. “A ‘buffered bike lane’ means there is a two-foot (painted) barrier on the side,” he said. To accommodate the new bike lanes, the vehicular traffic lanes would be narrowed; the lane widths would be adjusted to a 10-foot left lane and 11-foot right lane, a two-foot bike lane buffer and a five-foot bike lane.

“The narrower lanes will make motorists feel a little pinched, so they will slow down a bit, and the HAWK beacon will provide a break in traffic. The buffered bike lane will suggest a bike corridor, and we think all these measures will slow traffic down,” he said.

Trustee Phil Merten agreed.

“One of the reasons traffic moves so fast on Torrey Pines Road is that it is designed like a 55-mile-per-hour highway. The curbs are gentle, visibility is good, the lanes are wide, and people feel safe driving 55 miles per hour. As the lanes narrow and the bike lanes start showing up, people will slow down. They will pay a lot more attention. I think it’s going to improve safety significantly,” he said.

Can't happen soon enough. Hope it doesn't underwhelm. I'm afraid the Hawk beacon will be just enough to entice a pedestrian out into the street to be mowed down by a driver that doesn't notice/care. This almost happened on La Jolla Blvd a few weeks ago-one driver stopped for a pedestrian crossing, and another driver slammed right into the stopped car.

The estimated $52-billion raised over the next 10 years will be split between state projects and local city road repairs. But as continually pointed out on their daily show, John and Ken say not one penny of the gas tax will add a new lane of freeway. “It will go for idiotic things like buses and bike lanes,” said host John Cobylt.

Morena blvd drops from two lanes to one lane. Here: Looking South on Morena Blvd towards the Clairemont Drive Overpass Interstate 5 is off to the far right. (Clairemont Times file photo)

Looks like the bike lane has been retained.

Morena Blvd Lane Closure UpdateSome of you may have noticed if you take a cruise down Morena Blvd just south of Balboa Ave the two lane Morena Blvd road drops to 1 and continues to the area just under the Tecolote Rd overpass. The latest is this is a “Temporary Traffic Condition” while the Mid Coast Trolley is being constructed and was requested by SANDAG with approval from City of San Diego.